Once Removed Episode 23: Naming Guardians for Minor Children
We all make important decisions and engage in regular financial transactions without giving a second thought about our capacity to do so. But what if you suddenly lost the ability? What would happen? While most of us don’t...more
Under Michigan law, there are two alternate roles for making medical decisions for an incapacitated person. A patient advocate is a medical decision-maker who is appointed by an individual when planning for potential future...more
In the unfortunate situation where you are not available to care for your child or pet, it is prudent to plan ahead by nominating a guardian for your child and/or pet. Advance planning avoids potential court fights over...more
Many people think they don’t need “estate planning” because they don’t have enough assets to generate an estate tax; however, there are four basic estate planning documents everyone should have regardless of net worth. 1....more
Believe it or not, as of your child's 18th birthday, your child graduated from being a "minor" to becoming a "legal adult." While your child is home from college this summer or preparing to head off to college in the fall,...more
People lack the ability to sign documents for various reasons. In some cases, a person has suffered from a disability since birth and has never had the mental capacity to make decisions for himself. In other cases, an injury...more
In a case of first impression, the Superior Court of New Jersey held that financial institutions do not have an affirmative duty to report suspected fraud upon senior citizens or vulnerable individuals. See Lucca v. Wells...more
Most estate plans focus on what happens after death — but a plan is incomplete if arrangements haven’t been made in the event of mental incapacity. If the plan doesn’t specify how these decisions will be made, and by whom, a...more